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Howdy, SAR builders! I think this is a great idea for a GB, to honour the aviators that fly the less-glamourous aircraft, but the ones that downed aviators everywhere are extremely glad to see when they show up.

Canada is a vast country. The SAR areas of responsibility are huge. From Trenton, Ontario, the resources have to cover a huge area. From this web site, here are some tidbits:

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/operations-canada-north-america-current/trenton-sar.page

quotes:

"The Trenton Search and Rescue Region (SRR) is an area of more than 10 million square kilometres — the bulk of Canada's land mass, plus Hudson's Bay, James Bay, and the Canadian portions of the Great Lakes and the Arctic Ocean.

From Canadian Armed Forces Base Trenton on the shore of Lake Ontario, the Trenton SRR extends east to Québec City and west to the Alberta–British Columbia border. From south to north, it extends from the Canada–United States border to the North Pole."

"JRCC Trenton responds to about 3,500 SAR calls per year: about 70 percent of the responses are maritime, 20 percent air and 10 percent humanitarian. The busiest time of the year for maritime responses is summer, the season of pleasure boating on the Great Lakes and the lesser waterways of the Trenton SRR. Air responses peak in summer and fall, during the fishing and hunting seasons."

For those who don't know Canadian geography very well, Trenton to the BC border is about a 40-hour drive at highway speeds, meaning that a helicopter could not possibly get that far within a reasonable response time. Our far-North airfield, Alert NWT, is 82 degrees North latitude, making it about 40 degrees or 2,400 nm (4,444 km, or 2,730 statute miles) straight North, disregarding the jog to the West that is also necessary to get to Alert. Imagine an airliner on a trans-polar flight ditching in the Arctic Ocean? Pretty tough to cover that territory.

Our CC-130H Hercules are the SAR first responders for finding ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitters), spotting signal fires, and wreckage from the air, while helicopters try to get to the sites. Hercs can be fitted with a large window where the aft parachute-egress doors are, but sometimes if time is short a Herc could be launched that has not been modified with this big transparent door.

The Italeri kit did not come with a means of doing this transparency, so this aircraft will represent a Herc pressed into service quickly for the SAR role. Our Hercs are very hard-worked; we don't have the luxury of picking from several airframes parked on the ramp for SAR standby when multiple missions happen.

I'm building this one as a commission build for a guy who used to fly Hercs in Trenton. He has done several SAR missions, and I guess that level of humanitarian aid wasn't enough for him, because he went back to school and became a Flight Surgeon (military doctor), and now works as a Coroner in the Quebec City area. His son-in-law works with me, and is surprising him with this build as a gift for his birthday.

This is the kit:

P1230042_zpslvy8okom.jpg

I'll build it using Leading Edge Models decals in the medium grey overall scheme. I'll have the rear ramp open, front crew door open, and other stuff buttoned up. It'll be as if it were on the ramp in Trenton, ready to take on some pallets of emergency supplies it can drop (by parachute or LAPES), plus some SAR techs who can parachute in and tend to the wounded while they wait for the helos to get on scene.

The cockpit is as detailed as it needs to be for my level of patience. Not much of it shows through the front windows.

Everywhere I could, such as here in the cockpit floor, I added fishing weights. Hercs are notorious tail-sitters.

P1230049_zpsfceztmu7.jpg

I put some larger weights in these areas under the cockpit floor as well.

P1230050_zps5eagh62u.jpg

Here's the cockpit mostly assembled.

P1230051_zpsb3tcz1ka.jpg

It's definitely not highly detailed, and there are sink marks and flash here and there to clean up. Most of this will be invisible, though.

P1230052_zpsxdrbessi.jpg

ALF

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Excellent choice. We needed some more action in the SAR GB.

I plan on doing one more Herc next year. But a CC-130J in 1/48. Going to be a MAJOR conversion.

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Excellent choice. We needed some more action in the SAR GB.

I plan on doing one more Herc next year. But a CC-130J in 1/48. Going to be a MAJOR conversion.

Are you using the J model kit, or an E/H? Is there that much difference between a stock J and a Canadian J? I have a J kit that I will build one day, but I haven't looked into what I might need to make a CC-130J.

ALF

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Nice start ALF,

I suppose I should get something started for this one.

To build a Canadian J you will need to extend the the fuselage for and aft of the wing. Also depending how much correcting you want to do you will also need to extend the main landing gear sponsons

Fuselage plugs

C-130-30_zpscwq6ipog.jpg

Sponson extensions

KC-130J_03_zpsf182f886.jpg

The kit engines aren't the best so you might want to consider replacing those as well.

Edited by Trojan Thunder
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Dan,

Welcome to the show.... Beers are in the fridge to the left. Chilled Mug in the Freezer......Mrs. Vickies Chips in the Cupboard....... And all we get on TV is TSN, Space and all the Discovery Channels. Help yourself. Oh yeah it's not required to watch Leafs TV as real Golf is on TSN. :whistle:

I'm watching as always.

:cheers:

Emil

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Nice start ALF,

I suppose I should get something started for this one.

To build a Canadian J you will need to extend the the fuselage for and aft of the wing. Also depending how much correcting you want to do you will also need to extend the main landing gear sponsons

Fuselage plugs

C-130-30_zpscwq6ipog.jpg

Sponson extensions

KC-130J_03_zpsf182f886.jpg

The kit engines aren't the best so you might want to consider replacing those as well.

Wow! That is major surgery. I have the Italeri C-130J kit; I have yet to look into it, but I think it builds an appropriate J right out of the box. Impressive work you've done there.

Dan,

Welcome to the show.... Beers are in the fridge to the left. Chilled Mug in the Freezer......Mrs. Vickies Chips in the Cupboard....... And all we get on TV is TSN, Space and all the Discovery Channels. Help yourself. Oh yeah it's not required to watch Leafs TV as real Golf is on TSN. :whistle:/>

I'm watching as always.

:cheers:/>

Emil

Mmmmmm - now I'm hungry, Elmo! Sounds like the TV package is OK, although CBC is still showing the Habs until this weekend (after which we can watch the real contenders for the cup duke it out).

Nice to have you along.

I have made more progress. There are lots of little windows to cover up. I tried two methods. First, I covered the transparencies with Tamiya tape, then glued them in place. The plan is to scrape off the tape after the painting is done. This was not a fun way to do it...

P1230091_zpsyztfykid.jpg

Ironically, despite the minor pain involved in masking clear plastic, on the real aircraft there are so few windows it is super dim inside, even in bright sunlight, inflight. I have flown in the back of these beasts to and from Europe; there are tiny, dim lights on the ceiling that barely illuminate the uncomfortable canvas seats. It was nearly impossible to read a book (this was before my backlit Kindle of 2015!).

For the other windows, I decided to trace the outline in pencil, then cut around the clear part. Easier this way, for me anyway.

P1230092_zpsr4s2n4be.jpg

P1230093_zpsmrs00znj.jpg

P1230094_zps9tnd7uzo.jpg

Next, more interior details, and buttoning up the fuselage. This beast is BIG.

Thanks for stopping by!

ALF

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ALF,

Can I make a suggestion there are masking solutions out there. Here is a google link you might find useful. Clicky here and here is where you can buy it... Sprue Bros. I use the blue stuff..... you can thin it using water just some options for you.

Using it on my Labrador build works like a charm.

:cheers:

Emil

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Save your self some time and irritation, leave them open and use Microscale Kristal Kleer or White Glueo once all the painting is done...I did this for the round windows and lower canopy windows.

IMG_1487_1_zps5dfb7c11.jpg

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ALF,

Can I make a suggestion there are masking solutions out there. Here is a google link you might find useful. Clicky here and here is where you can buy it... Sprue Bros. I use the blue stuff..... you can thin it using water just some options for you.

Using it on my Labrador build works like a charm.

:cheers:/>

Emil

Good suggestion for the round windows... but the bottle I have at home is mostly dried up, and no LHS within 230 km of my house... and I'm on a deadline. Maybe for my next Herc.

ALF

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Save your self some time and irritation, leave them open and use Microscale Kristal Kleer or White Glueo once all the painting is done...I did this for the round windows and lower canopy windows.

IMG_1487_1_zps5dfb7c11.jpg

Yves

Great job on your Herc. I have a few questions:

1. Kristal Kleer, does that dry clear and make transparencies? I have never dared try it, but it looks great on yours

2. How did you get the realistic-looking fading on the white and red bands on the props? Did you spray a bit of the grey colour over top of the bands?

3. What colour did you use for the interior wheel wells? I noticed the wheel hubs are white; what about the interiors?

4. What did you use for the long antennae on top?

ALF

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The main gear are quite robust. The kit includes a strengthening member to avoid breakage before assembly, which is nice. I considered leaving it in place until I was done manipulating things, but the way it glues into the wheel bay, it looks like it will be solid enough.

P1230095_zpsbeihmi2l.jpg

I worked on the engines while waiting for stuff to dry. The props turn; I left off the props and spinner caps until late in the build.

P1230098_zpstjn9fytp.jpg

Fuselage together. Not bad fitting, but some filler will be required. The antenna on the bottom has a little protector that I will leave on until the end. Strange that they just didn't mould them separately and have you glue them on at the end...

P1230099_zpsvqgbzot7.jpg

I attached the wings using my patented minimal-crack method. I glued the top of the wing root in place first, before gluing the wing top and bottom halves together. Here, there is tape on the top of the fuselage at the wing join to minimize the crack, and the wings themselves are not glued together until the wing/fuselage join has set somewhat.

P1230101_zpsmqvmhemh.jpg

P1230100_zpszycxmpfq.jpg

Second wing being installed, using the same method. That's all for now; supper time!

P1230102_zpsacrzu6si.jpg

ALF

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Good suggestion for the round windows... but the bottle I have at home is mostly dried up, and no LHS within 230 km of my house... and I'm on a deadline. Maybe for my next Herc.

ALF

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Yves

Great job on your Herc. I have a few questions:

1. Kristal Kleer, does that dry clear and make transparencies? I have never dared try it, but it looks great on yours

Exactly, it dries perfectly clear, you can fill pretty big holes with it, it looks better than the actual plastic part !

2. How did you get the realistic-looking fading on the white and red bands on the props? Did you spray a bit of the grey colour over top of the bands?

I oversprayed some silver with my airbrush on the leading edge tip...

IMG_7718_zpsf0pjvj3e.jpg

3. What colour did you use for the interior wheel wells? I noticed the wheel hubs are white; what about the interiors?

Interior wheel wells are silver.

4. What did you use for the long antennae on top?

I bought some very fine sewing thread at my local Michaels (Dont know if you have one of those in Saguenay !)

ALF

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  • 3 weeks later...

Forgive me fellow ARCers, for I have sinned... it has been 20 days since my last posting. I am guilty of having made progress without posting, but in this case it was a choice of computer time or modelling time. On second thought, that's not a sin.

Here is a catch-up post, to where things are this week. I masked off the windows, using a combination of the purple gunk and the masking tape methods.

P1230132_zps5py0o0hg.jpg

P1230133_zpsqolje1vd.jpg

Almost ready for primer.

P1230134_zps3zgb57ei.jpg

Some filler, more work to be done:

P1230135_zpsi6jmtwcb.jpg

And a coat of Tamiya light grey primer, followed by some Modelmaster Acryl FS 36118 (darkened with the addition of some black)

P1230159_zpsmca1gkno.jpg

ALF

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There are some non-stick walkways on this aircraft. The Leading Edge decals say that the textured walkways may be a similar gray to the overall 36118, or maybe slightly off-shade (lighter or darker). The decals also say that the modeller should make sure the 36118 is not too light, so that the decals will show some contrast. I tested one on the underside, and it looked a bit too close, so I added some Tamiya acrylic black to the Modelmaster acryl 36118. I then masked off the areas for the walkways.

One of the problems I had was the panel lines on the model do not correspond to the dimensions of the walkways, and I was worried about getting them the right dimensions for the grey decals that outline the edges of the walkways.

P1230170_zpssdoynnzg.jpg

I bought some of this colour at a hobby store in Quebec City during a recent day trip. It is lighter than the 36118, especially after I mixed the latter with the black.

P1230171_zpsjmazbhkz.jpg

I am really happy to finally have gotten my airbrush back from Badger after some major repairs. It is so much better than rattle cans! I sprayed the light grey walkways.

P1230204_zpsflcycmk8.jpg

Underneath, I installed the wheels. The upside to painting them first then installing them later (after the overall fuselage is painted) is that the demarcation between white and black is great (hubs to tires). The downside is that the wheels don't fit! I had to chop off some of the ridges on the wheel well side to wedge them into place. They are definitely designed to be assembled before overall painting. Next Herc I do, I will install the wheels, then mask them off before painting the fuselage.

P1230205_zpsg2pjkxp7.jpg

Future brushed on. Started on props.

P1230219_zps6h6x8yh0.jpg

ALF

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I'm happy with the rear ramp. Some silver dry-brushing gives this effect.

P1230220_zpssgopu3kq.jpg

Props coming along. Note the walkways with the outlines on top. Of course, I made them smaller than the decals (like the one with the upper roundel here). I will leave off the remainder of the lines; they also look like a PITA to install. I'm a bit lazy; sure the model is less accurate, but the lines would be a lot of effort to install, and the grey is not the right dimensions. I think in future I would probably just leave the colour the same, but rough up the texture slightly in the area of the walkways.

P1230221_zpseorqokk8.jpg

I did put this decal in place on the walkway. See how tough it is to match the painted walkway with the decal. I'll leave it like this. I am happy, though, with the ribbed effect on the side of the aft fuselage. Many pictures I've found show this effect. Weathering will be very light on this aircraft; I intend it to be a quite pristine paint job.

P1230222_zps2bqw4bdv.jpg

Dry-fitting one prop. They certainly add colour to a dull overall finish.

P1230228_zpsq62ls70j.jpg

Decals done, props installed, Future coat applied over decals. Ready for dull coat. I also have several fiddly bits to install.

P1230238_zpsi1u38dbn.jpg

Dull coat sprayed. Getting close to the end.

P1230254_zpstjxlkqle.jpg

Thanks for stopping by!

ALF

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Well, this beast is done. I apologize, but delivery time constraints forced me to get it out the door this morning before I had taken finished pictures of it. Here is the last one I took, after having glued the rear ramp in place.

P1230280_zpsjgqdbqm4.jpg

This big 1/72 kit has been a learning experience for me. I plan to do a silver/white symmetrical era CC-130 at some point soon. The kit is back-ordered from Lucky Models; I also have a 130J kit to build.

Thanks to all who have commented and viewed this thread. I am especially happy for the advice on making windows using that clear liquid method.

ALF

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... I am especially happy for the advice on making windows using that clear liquid method.

ALF

Pas de probleme mon ami, Did you manage to find some Kristal Kleer ? Model turned out great !

Me and my modelling/airshow buddies will be up in Bagotville for the Airshow in three weeks... Hope we get some nice weather... Has the snow melted yet :woot.gif:/>

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Pas de probleme mon ami, Did you manage to find some Kristal Kleer ? Model turned out great !

Me and my modelling/airshow buddies will be up in Bagotville for the Airshow in three weeks... Hope we get some nice weather... Has the snow melted yet :woot.gif:/>/>

Yves

I have asked for some Kristal Kleer from my "supplier" (AX_365). He is driving up to Bagotville for the airshow as well, from Ottawa. We'll be attending the Sunday show together. I am also going on the Saturday, with another guy. I told my Ottawa visitor he didn't need snow tires for his sports car; last week when we drove through the park between here and Quebec City, there were still some traces of snow in the ditches and around the trees!

I have ordered good weather for the show. It should be warm, hopefully... but here, you never know. :crying2:

Drop me a PM, and let me know when you are coming. Perhaps we can meet up on the site? My mobile number is 418 376 3264.

Dan

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